vehicle signal
U.S. public vehicle records

Ford E-350 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

952 owner complaints analyzed

101 distinct recall campaigns

67,564 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1983 to 2027 model years. Data snapshot: . 526 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Tires is the most frequently named component, appearing in 99 of 952 complaints (10.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior16617.4%
Steering behavior909.5%
Fuel system concerns909.5%
Engine operation707.4%
Electrical and battery issues444.6%
Transmission and shifting404.2%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Tires
99
Steering
64
Tires:Tread/Belt
57
Engine
55
Engine And Engine Cooling
50
Electrical System
49
Fuel System, Diesel
49
Suspension
42
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Tires99
Steering64
Tires:Tread/Belt57
Engine55
Engine And Engine Cooling50
Electrical System49
Fuel System, Diesel49
Suspension42

Tires: 99; Steering: 64; Tires:Tread/Belt: 57; Engine: 55; Engine And Engine Cooling: 50; Electrical System: 49; Fuel System, Diesel: 49; Suspension: 42

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
127
25,000 to 49,999
80
50,000 to 74,999
77
75,000 to 99,999
79
100,000 to 149,999
94
150,000 and above
69
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,000127
25,000 to 49,99980
50,000 to 74,99977
75,000 to 99,99979
100,000 to 149,99994
150,000 and above69

Under 25,000: 127; 25,000 to 49,999: 80; 50,000 to 74,999: 77; 75,000 to 99,999: 79; 100,000 to 149,999: 94; 150,000 and above: 69

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (127). 426 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

1995
26
1996
26
2000
87
2001
62
2002
52
2003
46
2004
30
2005
46
2006
50
2007
36
2008
54
2009
39
2010
60
2011
40
2012
27
2013
36
2014
33
2015
37
2016
18
2017
25
2018
24
2019
18
2020
10
2021
10
2022
15
2023
11
2024
15
2025
12
2026
7
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
199526
199626
200087
200162
200252
200346
200430
200546
200650
200736
200854
200939
201060
201140
201227
201336
201433
201537
201618
201725
201824
201918
202010
202110
202215
202311
202415
202512
20267

1995: 26; 1996: 26; 2000: 87; 2001: 62; 2002: 52; 2003: 46; 2004: 30; 2005: 46; 2006: 50; 2007: 36; 2008: 54; 2009: 39; 2010: 60; 2011: 40; 2012: 27; 2013: 36; 2014: 33; 2015: 37; 2016: 18; 2017: 25; 2018: 24; 2019: 18; 2020: 10; 2021: 10; 2022: 15; 2023: 11; 2024: 15; 2025: 12; 2026: 7

Pattern summary

Tires leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 166 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 90 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 90 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 484860 · 1995-08-09 (August 9, 1995)

BRAKES FAILED TWICE. *SKD

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 484860 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 502062 · 1996-03-04 (March 4, 1996)

ANTI-LOCK BRAKE DESIGN CAUSES THEM TO RELEASE WHEN A BUMP IS HIT, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES. *DSH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 502062 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 977295 · 1996-01-03 (January 3, 1996)

TILT STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT STAY IN THE UPWARD POSITION. TT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 977295 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 964431 · 1995-04-26 (April 26, 1995)

ABS, FRONT BRAKE LOCKUP, CAUSING STEERING TO BECOME VERY ERRATIC OPERATION. TT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 964431 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10493746 · 2013-01-22 (January 22, 2013)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1983 FORD E-350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS MOVED TO THE SHOULDER AND WAS UNABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP FAILED TO CONTINUOUSLY SUPPLY THE ENGINE WITH FUEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 82V124000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: DELIVERY: FUEL PUMP). THE VEHICLE WA…

Owner-reported narrative. 73,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10493746 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10689757 · 2015-02-21 (February 21, 2015)

I PURCHASED THIS 28' SHASTA CLASS C MOTORHOME FROM A PRIVATE PARTY. ALL RECEIPTS FROM WORK HISTORY WERE INCLUDED. UPON THE FIRST TIME OUT, TOWING MY 1200 LB BOAT TO LAKE MEAD ( NO SIGNIFICANT HILLS AS I LIVE IN LAS VEGAS ), THE MOTORHOME RAN BEAUTIFUL, EVEN UP TO THE POINT OF PARKING. I CAME OUT TWO DAYS LATER TO START IT WHEN I NOTICED THE BATTERY AS DRAINED. UPON LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD, I NOTICED IT HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE, BURNING 2 INJECTORS AND OTHER WIRING LOCATED IN THE SAME VICINITY. I REPLACED INJECTORS, RELAYS, FUEL PUMP, ALL HOSES, COIL, …

Owner-reported narrative. 72,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10689757 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 854770 · 2000-01-06 (January 6, 2000)

VEHICLE WILL BEGIN TO DRIVE ROUGH IF TEMPERATURE IS 98 DEGREES OR HIGHER. EVENTUALLY IT WILL STALL, CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD.DEALER CANNOT ISOLATE DEFECT. ALSO, IT CANNOT BE DUPLICATED ON PREMISES. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 854770 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10163012 · 2006-07-20 (July 20, 2006)

I WAS DRIVING AT 60 MPH WHEN I BEGAN DECELERATING AND REALIZED ENGINE HAD SHUT OFF. I COASTED TO A STOP. I WAS GETTING TOOLS TO CHECK RELAYS WHEN I NOTICED FIRE AT REAR WHEEL, DRIVER SIDE, AT GAS TANK. CALLED CLOSEST FIRE DEPARTMENT. 6/9/06. PARKING BRAKE LINE ON FIRE WITH ABS LINE. HAD WIRING REPAIRED. JULY 16,2006 BRAKES FELT LIKE THEY WERE LOCKING, REAR WAS SMOKING AGAIN, LOOKED LIKE FIRE AT GAS TANK. JULY 17 HAD MECHANIC CHECK ALL BRAKES WHICH WERE EXCELLENT EXCEPT PARKING BRAKE LINE BENT, BUT RELEASED. JULY 19, BRAKES LOCKING UP A LITTLE…

Owner-reported narrative. 244,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10163012 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 551948 · 2000-04-25 (April 25, 2000)

TRANSMISSION FAILED MULTIPLE TIMES. *MJS/ AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 551948 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 552716 · 2000-06-20 (June 20, 2000)

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS (E-40D). NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 552716 at NHTSA ↗

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

2011
17
2012
11
2013
8
2014
11
2015
2
2016
3
2017
4
2018
4
2019
0
2020
0
2021
6
2022
3
2023
2
2024
1
2025
1
2026
1
2027
1
Recall campaigns data
CategoryCount
201117
201211
20138
201411
20152
20163
20174
20184
20190
20200
20216
20223
20232
20241
20251
20261
20271

2011: 17; 2012: 11; 2013: 8; 2014: 11; 2015: 2; 2016: 3; 2017: 4; 2018: 4; 2019: 0; 2020: 0; 2021: 6; 2022: 3; 2023: 2; 2024: 1; 2025: 1; 2026: 1; 2027: 1

Year-by-year records

Ford E-350 model-year comparison
Model yearComplaintsRecallsChange in recalls
198310Not available
198610Not available
198810Not available
1989100
1991141Not available
1992333+2
19933530
1994335+2
1995443-2
19963630
1997574+1
1998477+3
1999688+1
2000596-2
2001524-2
20025340
2003466+2
2004469+3
20055512+3
20065336+24
20071832-4
20083929-3
2009924-5
20101615-9
20111817+2
20121611-6
2013138-3
20141711+3
201572-9
201653+1
2017134+1
2018340
201930-4
2020200
2021206+6
2022143-3
202322-1
202421-1
2025210
2026010
2027010